How talented is this mineral boron! It seems to be a boon to problems related to females. For instance, it can be used to ameliorate pain associated with menstruation and also to treat vaginal yeast infections. Additionally, boron benefits post-menopausal women by increasing estrogen levels, which help to maintain healthy bones and brain function. Healthy men also enjoy the same bone and brain benefits.

Among its uses in history, we find that between 1870 and 1920, boron was commonly used as a food preservative and came to be used for such purposes during both world wars.

Boron As Antioxidant

WebMD states that boron may also have antioxidant properties. What do antioxidants do for us? Let’s think first about the oxidative process on, for instance, iron. If you cook in iron skillets, you know that leaving water in them causes rust to form at water’s edge. In essence, rust degrades the iron itself.

Now, oxidants in the body do the very same thing: they degrade. You may have heard the term “free radical.” That term has a very complex explanation, but I will not go into it here. In short, though, a free radical, having an unequal number of electrons, is an unstable molecule. When the body produces them, it’s like having a mob of thieves roaming about, seeking to rob healthy cells of that needed electron. When those thieves steal electrons from healthy cells, they rob the body of health and vitality. In fact, free radicals cause the ageing process.

Antioxidants sacrifice electrons to free radicals, thereby putting an end to the thievery, consequently preventing damage caused by it. The beauty of this sacrifice is that antioxidants do not become free radicals when they give up electrons; they are stable in whatever state they exist. They are, in essence, sheriff scavengers seeking to collect the cellular criminals and reform them.

Antioxidants work to prevent diseases like heart disease and cancer. To aid heart health, they defend against LDL oxidation and prevent formation of plaque that clogs arteries. High levels of antioxidant vitamin C, studies conclude, correlate with low cancer rates, especially cancers of the mouth, larynx, and esophagus.

Boron As Astringent

Boron also has astringent properties, meaning that it causes contraction of skin cells and other bodily tissues, according to Oxford Dictionaries, and it is effective in preventing infection. This property would be particularly important in dental health. When you go to the dentist for a check up, you know that the hygienist examines the space/pockets between teeth and gums. The technical term for this is PD or Pocket Depth. When these pockets grow deeper, sometimes bleeding occurs, which leads us to another term BOP, or Bleeding on Probing. These pockets provide space for food to collect and for bacteria to enter, breed, multiply, and do damage to gums. We call bacteria and the inflammation they cause The Silent Killer. Bleeding on probing is a signal that bone loss may have occurred in that area and/or that gums are inflamed or swollen.

Boron as an astringent causes contraction of delicate cells in the mouth and helps prevent bleeding; then its antioxidant properties help prevent infection.

Boron and Bones

Boron works in conjunction with other minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus to make and keep strong bones. Our teeth, rest in the bones in the jaw. Teeth and bones are similar in some ways in that they both need many of the same minerals to keep healthy. However, teeth, particularly the enamel covering are the hardest tissue in the body, are not living tissue. So they do not repair themselves; thus, it is keenly important to take care of them. Bones, on the other hand, are living tissue and can rebuild themselves. However, they need the proper building materials to do so effectively.

So, how important are bones for the dental structure? Weak bones, depleted of the materials needed to keep them healthy, will not support the teeth and tooth loss will occur. Also, implants need healthy bones for support, so without them, implants will not survive either. Boron is one of those necessary ingredients for supporting bones.

Boron is one of the thirteen healthy ingredients in the Osteo+ supplement and is one of 6 oral care products included in the Clean Kiss Oral Care System. The system consists of Swish, Scrub, Perio Therapy, Perio Care and Osteo Therapy+ and Oral Probiotics.